The Duke's Head Inn
by prairiegypsy
Summary: Rained out in a remote town of Corona, the royal party is lead to The Duke's Head Inn by none other than Eugene himself. But why? What's there that makes him happy to return? Come on in, grab a pint, and find out!  Rated M mainly for language. Ch 2 is up!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Thanks for getting past the summary. This is an idea that I had earlier this evening, and I hope it pans out. I don't have a beta at this point, but if someone would like to take me on that'd be great. **

**The story has an M rating mainly for language. There will be stories told with mature content, so if you're not supposed to read that kind of stuff you best be on your way. **

**I do appreciate reviews, they're nice to have and encourage more writing. I haven't written anything substantial in 3.5 years, and this is my first tangled fic. ConCrit is welcome too. **

**As always, I own nothing. I just play. **

* * *

It was pouring rain and the entire royal party was soaked and freezing. The only person in the party not fazed by the rain was a certain Eugene Fitzherbert, who had spent several evenings of a past life in the forest in similar conditions. And it was this particular person who was trying to convince the captain leading the group to make a pit stop.

"I know the town up ahead. There are some good inns there, comfortable places with good food and good lodgings. Namely, warms beds and baths for Her Majesty and Her Highness."

"Hmpf! And what kind of place does a former thief judge as suitable for royalty." The captain said ceremoniously. "I say we press on for the Earl's estate."

"Are you nuts! They'll have caught consumption by that point!" Eugene was yelling over the torrential rain. "His drafty old manor house is at least two more hours from this point, and I'm telling you that Lynnestra is that glow of beacons JUST. OVER. THAT. HILL!"

"What's all the yelling about?" The King rode up on his horse to check in on Eugene who had left his spot beside Rapunzel to 'check up on the idiots'.

"Your Majesty," the captain saluted, "Mr. Fitzherbert here is trying to convince us to stop in Lynnestra for the evening. I say that we can make the Earl's estate before nightfall."

The King pondered this before turning to Eugene, "What say you Mr. Fitzherbert?"

"Your Majesty," It was odd to call him that, since in private quarters (where they most commonly held their conversations) the King insisted that Eugene call him Edward. "I can see that the ladies are suffering in the rain, and I promise you that good lodgings can be found in Lynnestra." Here he made a pointed look at the captain. "Lodgings suitable for gentried company, if not necessarily royal company."

King Edward looked back to see his wife and daughter, and their ladies, looking absolutely miserable in the downpour. "I don't know much about the town, to be honest. But you insist there's suitable lodgings?"

"Yes. I know exactly where they are."

"Well then Mr. Fitzherbert, lead on. Take the front position with the captain here, and I'll inform the ladies as to the situation." King Edward turned his mount and headed back.

"I hope you know what you're doing, _Rider_" The captain sneered.

"I certainly do, _captain_" Eugene snapped back. "When we approach the gates we make for The Duke's Head, first right at the top of the high street."

"The Duke's Head?" A guard asked, apprehensively.

"Yep," Eugene smiled, more to himself than for any effect. "A little slice of heaven in the middle of nowhere."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry about the wait. I'm heading into report card season, and that always makes for fun times. **

**I tried writing the story using Corona as a place that existed somewhere between France, Italy, and Switzerland (that's how I see it in my brain), but it didn't really work out so I decided to keep it as a kind of ambiguous place that's European. I'm also basing my ideas for a remote northern town off of my own experiences living in a community that was a 3 hour drive from anything close to civilization. It was the kind of place that looked rather livable by day, but was a whole different story come night fall. **

**I'd like to thank my lone reviewer, and all those who are subscribing to the story. For someone who hasn't written in a long, long time that means a lot :)**

**Once again, I don't have a beta for this, and I try to scan through the best I can so I apologize for any errors. **

**As always, I own nothing, I just play. **

* * *

Rapunzel looked thoughtfully at the gates in front of her. When she had heard that they were going to be stopping for the evening at Eugene's suggestion she felt a sense of relief mixed with an odd sort of pride that she had found someone so well travelled to have fallen in love with.

How he happened to be so well travelled she decided to just, well, glance over that.

But her focus right now was on the town of Lynnestra. She had seen it once on a map in geography lessons, but her tutor told her that it was of no importance except to…oh damn…she couldn't remember what he had said. To be truthful, she couldn't remember much of what he said – Eugene's geography lessons were so much better. Every town had a story; characters who brought the market stalls to life, rogues and ruffians who inhabited seedy places, and old lords who could be easily divested of their coin pouches.

"Rapunzel dear, what are you thinking about?" asked her mother with calm concern.

"Nothing really important. I was just trying to remember what geography tutor had said about this town. I remember seeing it all alone on the map and I asked what it's purpose was, but I think I blanked out when he gave the answer." Rapunzel then immediately looked down with a bit of shame. "Not that I should have done that though. I know how important lessons are."

The Queen laughed. "It's alright dear. You're not expected to like every subject, or every tutor. It's just that Jenkins is the most knowledgeable in his field. With it though comes the voice that's as dry as sand."

Rapunzel laughed with her mother and then caught the King's eye. "What do you know about Lynnestra father?

"Not much my dear. It has only recently come into our possession."

Rapunzel was puzzled. "Recently come into our possession?"

"Yes. This area has been under dispute for several years. It's very rich in mineral resources and the forestry in quite important. About five years ago I gave up a claim to some land in the east in order to secure it – thought the mining could be a source of revenue to the kingdom." Edward said.

"That's it! That's what Jenkins prattled on about. He said that Lynnestra was of no real concern because it was a mining town with a very…oh, what's the word…ah! A very transient population." Rapunzel felt rather accomplished at remembering the fact. Her face though soon fell into one of slight confusion. "Father, what does transient mean?"

Edward laughed. "It means that the people of this town do not stay here very long."

"Oh. But that's no good. Why would they want to leave after they've taken all the trouble to set up?"

"Working with resources is a tricky business, my love." The Queen spoke up. "Sometimes things are good, and sometimes they are bad. When things are bad you have find other ways to make a living, so people leave."

"Mining is not also for everyone my dear," Edward spoke, "the rough nature of the work takes its toll in many ways." He frowned at the end of his thought, and looked towards the front of the procession where he could see his captain and Eugene in a rather heated debate.

"Is something the matter?" The Queen asked.

"I hope not Eloise."

"You're a horrible liar Edward." Eloise chided her husband gently. "Come now, what troubles you?"

"I don't know much of this town, but I do know of the kind of work that is available up here. I have placed a lot of trust in Eugene that he knows what he is doing. He seems to have great confidence that there are suitable rooms here. But I'm starting to have my doubts…"

Rapunzel immediately rushed to Eugene's defence. "He wouldn't lie to you father. If he says there's a place for us, then somewhere in that town there must be an inn or lodge, or something that's just right."

"I agree with Rapunzel," Eloise said. "What purpose would Eugene have in lying to us now?" She looked up to see that the rain had not tapered off at all. In fact it seemed to be raining _harder_, if that was possible.

"Hmmm." Edward kept his thoughts private. Eugene Fitzherbert would never lead them astray, that was true, but the smirk on his face that he thought no one saw was pure Flynn Rider. That man had a history here of that there was no question, but what it was Edward had no clue. A guard who had rushed up beside him disturbed his reverie.

"Your Majesty, your presence is required." The poor man was out of breath, "immediately."

"What's wrong?" Edward asked.

"The captain and Mr. Fitzherbert are having a rather heated discussion, and I believe it could come to blows."

Edward, Eloise, and Rapunzel could hear it. And it didn't sound pretty.

"I should taken you to the gallows myself, Rider!" The captain screamed. " A short fall and sudden stop would solve a lot of problems right now."

"Well, I've got some rope and the trees here are plentiful, Captain. But by the time your lackeys figure out how to tie the noose you wouldn't have to worry…I'd be DEAD OF OLD AGE!"

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," Edward brought his horse up the centre. "What's seems to be the problem?"

"The gate, your Majesty." In his rage, the Captain forgot his courtesy of nodding to the King. "They refuse to open it."

Edward turned to Eugene. "Well?"

"Your Majesty, before I could explain that the town gate has to be approached with care your ever so brilliant captain here just barged ahead and demanded them to open up."

"Your sarcasm could come down a tone Eugene." Edward said quietly.

"My apologies. But as I was saying, you have to approach the gate carefully." Eugene restated.

"I see no fault Your Majesty" the Captain interrupted. "Any town should know to open in the name of the King."

Eugene rolled his eyes at the man's complete ignorance. Edward caught this and had to withhold a chuckle. In the past year the thief-turned-hero had made several strides in his overall etiquette, but the eye rolling was one thing he still couldn't control. "I take it you have a different opinion Mr. Fitzherbert?"

"With all due respect Your Majesty, this town recognizes no authority. Many of its citizens remember the days when they belonged to the League of Northern Principalities, let alone to the Grand Duke, or to you. In fact, I would suspect that most people behind these walls _still_ don't know that they pay their taxes to Corona."

Eugene had a point. The agreement had been signed five years ago, but even to this day the finer details were still being arranged – hence the visit to the Earl. "Alright then. How would you have done it?"

Eugene approached the gate and hollered. "Hello up there!"

An older man, leaning heavily on a staff, appeared through a window in what could best be described as a shack masquerading as a watchtower. "Whut, y'er still 'ere?" He yelled back in a thick accent. "I though' I told yer to bugger off."

"Yes, yes you did. But as you can still see it's raining, and I've got some very rich people here who are getting rather soaked. It's a real pain when all that fur and wool gets drenched you know. And the poor ladies – shivering to their deaths – I mean would you want to be responsible for all those gold rings falling off just because their hands were too cold to hang on to them?

"Rich?" The old man asked. " 'ow rich?"

Eugene took a coin purse that the captain immediately recognized as his and tossed it up to the old man. Before the captain could protest, Edward silenced him. "And that's just what the servants have."

The watchman took a few coins out of the pouch and gnawed them. " 'aight. I'll letcher in. 't be wantin' Ta Duke's 'ead Inn I 'spose."

"None but the best for us good sir." Eugene quipped.

The King of Corona smiled. Despite his former profession behind, there was one skill Eugene Fitzherbert still kept – the ability to smooth talk his way into and out of any situation.

"I hope you intend to repay my captain." Edward said as he pulled his horse alongside Eugene's.

"I actually hadn't thought about it until just right now. But I suppose I owe him. Rather difficult though since I don't really earn any money or anything." Eugene smirked at the King.

"We'll have to change that won't we Mr. Fitzherbert?" Edward replied.

"And exactly how do I do that?" This wasn't said with any hidden intent, sarcasm or derision. Eugene had been honestly wondering for quite sometime what he could be doing other than being Blondie's betrothed, or the King's personal sounding board. Not that he minded the positions (especially where Blondie was concerned), but even he started to feel that he was becoming a bit of a leech.

"I'm not sure yet. However, until I come up with an idea I'll see to it that the captain receives…reimbursement shall we call it?"

Eugene wasn't sure what the King had up his sleeves, but he wasn't in a position to argue. "Thank you."

"Your welcome."

At the end of the exchange the town gates began to open and the captain led the procession in.

Edward took one look at the town and immediately hesitated. "Are you sure about this Eugene?" In his shock he completely forgot civility and protocol.

"Positive. We have a bit of travelling up the street until we get where we are going. Don't worry Your Majesty. Lynnestra isn't so bad. It's just that most people try to get here _before_ dark, so all the…interesting stuff happens near the gates, since that's about as far the average miner gets before he passes out.

Edward looked at the scene in front of him and then pointedly back at Eugene. "I hope for Rapunzel's sake you're right."

Eugene froze. He hadn't thought that. Rapunzel was no dummy, but she was still rather sheltered. And the last thing a sheltered girl needed to see was a drunkard passed out the street; his trousers down and bottle still in hand – with the whore he tried to buy raiding his pockets for anything of value.


End file.
